Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets (Homemade Nuggets)
Enjoy delicious crispy air fryer chicken nuggets with this easy recipe that's a wonderful healthier version of a classic favorite. Cubed chicken breasts are coated in a flavorful mix of breadcrumbs and spices, air-fried to golden perfection and wonderful to eat plain or served with your favorite dipping sauce.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 302kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts boneless, skinless, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 2 eggs beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400° F
- In a small shallow bowl or plate, add the breadcrumbs, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using) and stir to blend together.1 cup plain breadcrumbs, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- In another medium sized bowl, add the eggs and whisk thoroughly.2 eggs
- Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture and make sure it's fully coated, and then place it in the breadcrumb mixture and coat well.1 pound chicken breasts
- Place the coated chicken cubes in the air fryer basket in a single layer. (you can spray the breaded chicken pieces with cooking spray or brush very gently with olive oil but it's not a must)
- Air fry the cubes for 12-14 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked completely. (check for the doneness of the chicken by cutting into one of pieces to make sure it's not pink and the juices run clear, or you could use a meat thermometer to verify an internal temperature of 165° F (74° C).
Notes
Use panko breadcrumbs, regular breadcrumbs or even seasoned breadcrumbs
Make them gluten free by using gluten free breadcrumbs.
Spray the uncooked breaded chicken pieces with cooking spray or brush very gently with olive oil but it's not a must.
Add your favorite seasonings to the breadcrumb mixture like chili powder, dried oregano, and Cajun seasoning, etc.
Make a larger batch of chicken nuggets by doubling or tripling the recipe. Just make sure you cook the chicken nuggets in batches so that they don't overcrowd the air fryer basket.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 653mg | Potassium: 542mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 464IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg
